2026 has brought even more hits for Netflix with episodic releases, and a few have been so big that they can be considered the biggest shows of the year for the streamer. This is possible for Netflix thanks to the wide range of original, episodic content it has to offer. Between fresh non-fiction series, continuations of beloved hits, reality TV, and documentaries, there’s always something for everybody.
Subscribers frequently embrace the constant flow of new shows, with these series often holding potential to become incredibly popular around the world. That’s what happened in 2025 when Adolescence became a smash hit, climbing to second place all-time on Netflix’s global TV charts, and Stranger Things season 5 and Wednesday season 2 finished their runs inside the top 5.
Netflix’s 2026 TV shows include a mixture of familiar and new once again. Long-running shows like Virgin River came back. Reality TV series in Love Is Blind and Love on the Spectrum received new seasons, too. New titles diving into the thriller, horror, sci-fi, and other genres also held the ability to break out and capture the attention of the entire globe.
That’s exactly what has happened throughout the year for several releases. Aided by official viewership data, here are Netflix’s 10 most-watched TV shows of 2026, so far.
- The data is from January 1 to August 9 and collected from Netflix’s top 10 global charts
- Movement in the new update: The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare enters the top 10, knocking out The Night Agent season 3
- Title to watch: N/A
10
Michael Jackson: The Verdict
Riding the coattails of Lionsgate’s Michael becoming a box office sensation, Netflix has found its own hit with the King of Pop. The three-episode documentary series Michael Jackson: The Verdict has already tallied 27.5 million views in its first three weeks.
This is largely thanks to the series debuting at #1 with 17.8 million views, which is the fourth-largest opening for a Netflix show this year. It pulled in another 7.2 million views in week 2 before dropping to just 2.5 million views in week 3. Michael Jackson: The Verdict fell out of the top 10 after that.
9
The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare
Netflix’s true crime documentary strategy brought another popular TV show in 2026 with The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare. Subscribers have been very interested in learning more about the 2022 college murders, propelling The Idaho Murders to a top 10 placement after just two weeks with 28.8 million views.
Its run began with the third-biggest opening week for a 2026 Netflix show with 18.2 million views. The Idaho Murders then stayed at No. 1 for the week in its second frame by accumulating 10.6 million more views. This is now Netflix’s most-watched documentary series for 2026, and there’s room for it to grow from here.
8
Nemesis Season 1
One of Netflix’s biggest hits came with Nemesis season 1. The eight-episode crime drama debuted in May and consistently found its audience. In its first five weeks of release, Nemesis season 1 amassed 30 million views. It remained in the top three globally for its first three weeks, with week 2 delivering its highest views at 11.4 million, generating a #1 global finish.
It’s moved into the top five after a month, following another 3.5 million views in week 4 and 2.1 million views in week 5. Nemesis became one of six shows this year to spend its first four weeks in the top 4 globally. Unsurprisingly, Netflix has greenlit Nemesis season 2 after these results.
7
Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2
Netflix’s live-action remake of Nickelodeon’s beloved animated series returned in June 2026, as Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 debuted. The series has climbed up the top 10 of the year thanks to continued interest. It’s spent six weeks in the top 10 and garnered 30.8 million views to date, but its time in the charts ended after.
That’s a fraction of how season 1 performed for Netflix. Avatar: The Last Airbender debuted to 21.2 million views. It spent six weeks in the top 10 during its initial release and totaled 61.2 million views. Avatar: The Last Airbender hasn’t even achieved 50% of that total in over a month. It trails the debut season by 28 million views at the same point.
6
Man On Fire Season 1
After routinely seeing Denzel Washington’s movie trend on the service, Netflix rebooted Man on Fire as a TV series in 2026. Starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as John Creasy, the seven-episode action thriller climbed up these charts quickly. Man on Fire season 1 earned 35 million views during its first 91 days (which is the period of time Netflix tabulates views for all-time rankings), and 40 million views overall in the year.
It spent two weeks as the #1 show on the planet upon its debut, generating 11 and 12.6 million views in the respective weeks. The other weeks have seen it stay in the top 5. The strong performance is why Man on Fire season 2 is expected to be announced by Netflix eventually.
5
One Piece Season 2
Netflix keeps finding success by adapting the popular manga into a live-action fantasy action series. One Piece season 2 delivered 39.5 million views across five weeks in the top 10 charts. This included spending three consecutive weeks at #1. Overall, Netflix says One Piece season 2 generated 47 million views through June 2026.
This was made possible by its 16.8 million views in week 1 and only dropping to 11.1 million in week 2. Competition was so limited in week 3 that One Piece stayed on top with only 5.9 million views. While this has made season 2 one of the year’s most-watched shows, the viewership figures are down from season 1.
The debut episodes spent eight weeks straight in Netflix’s top 10, pulling in 63.6 million views during that timeframe. 57.8 million of those views were collected during its first five weeks. That puts One Piece season 2 behind the first season’s viewership by 18.3 million views. Luckily for Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates, One Piece season 3 has already been confirmed.
4
Teach You A Lesson
The lone foreign language show on the list so far, Teach You a Lesson has dominated Netflix’s non-English series charts recently. After its June 5 premiere, the Korean action drama has totaled 61.9 million views in nine weeks. It’s now become one of Netflix’s 10 most-watched non-English TV shows.
This has come after spending four consecutive weeks at #1 on the non-English charts. Despite a lower 6.4 million views debut, interest surged by 229% in week 2, giving it 21.1 million views. Interest has remained steady for week 3 (11.8 million) and week 4 (7.3 million), allowing it to pull ahead of One Piece season 2 in the chart, and keep adding to its total in weeks 5 through 9.
3
His & Hers
One of Netflix’s biggest new hits of 2026 on the TV front is His & Hers. The six-episode mystery thriller starring Jon Bernthal and Tessa Thompson gained worldwide attention after its early January release, where it spent three weeks at #1 on the global charts. His & Hers earned 90.6 million views across seven weeks in the top 10.
However, the total viewership is confirmed to be a bit higher. His & Hers earned a spot in Netflix’s all-time most-watched shows chart for months thanks to 98.2 million views. This means that after dropping out of the top 10, it made another 7.6 million views during the rest of its first 91 days of release. Netflix confirmed a total of 104 million views so far this year.
That shows just how strong interest remained in His & Hers throughout its first three months on Netflix. It currently holds the 2026 record for the most views in week 3 for all TV shows after collecting 17.2 million views.
2
I Will Find You
Harlan Coben is no stranger to delivering hits to Netflix, with the other 2026 series, Run Away, previously being in the top 10. Now, it’s I Will Find You that has taken over the world’s interest. The series has brought in 110 million views in its first eight weeks, and it skyrocketed into the top 3 after just two.
The limited series launched to 24 million views, the most for a 2026 debut series, but it grew in popularity afterward. I Will Find You‘s 34.1 million views during week 2, 11.5 million in week 4, and 3.5 million in week 8 are the most for any Netflix original show over those spans this year.
Coben’s series has kept up its strong momentum throughout. It was the #1 show on Netflix for four straight weeks — the longest streak for any 2026 show — and officially entered Netflix’s top overall viewership charts. It’s in 9th place after passing Bridgerton season 3’s 106 million views, with plenty of time to climb the charts further. Netflix would say this is their biggest 2026 TV show, but the weekly charts say otherwise.
1
Bridgerton Season 4
Netflix’s global hit historical romance series, Bridgerton, retained strong viewership upon its 2026 return. Bridgerton season 4 earned 130.8 million views after spending nine consecutive weeks in the top 10 charts. This was aided by Netflix giving the season a two-part release; the first four episodes were released on January 29, and the remaining four episodes came out on February 26.
Bridgerton season 4, part 1, debuted at #1 worldwide with 39.7 million views, the highest opening week for any 2026 Netflix series. Part 2 launched to 28 million views and returned the series to the #1 global spot. Bridgerton season 4’s nine weeks in the top 10 is also the most for any of Netflix’s shows this year. But oddly enough, Netflix says it managed just 100 million views across the entire first half of 2026 (beyond the initial 91-day window).
|
Rank |
2026 Netflix Show |
Total Views |
|---|---|---|
|
1) |
Bridgerton season 4 |
130.8 million |
|
2) |
I Will Find You |
110.2 million |
|
3) |
His & Hers |
98.2 million |
|
4) |
Teach You a Lesson |
61.9 million |
|
5) |
One Piece season 2 |
39.5 million |
|
6) |
Man on Fire season 1 |
35.0 million |
|
7) |
Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 |
30.8 million |
|
8) |
Nemesis season 1 |
30.0 million |
|
9) |
The Idaho Murders: College Nightmare |
28.8 million |
|
10) |
Michael Jackson: The Verdict |
27.5 million |
It is unclear why there is a 30+ million-view difference between the figures in Netflix’s weekly charts and how they counted views for Bridgerton season 4 for the first half of the year. All episodes debuted in 2026, and the show’s nine weeks in the top 10 all fall under the typical 91-day window. The streamer has also previously counted views for seasons with multipart drops, too.
Based on Netflix‘s official data, Bridgerton should be no better than third place (it never topped His & Hers), but without a confirmed explanation for the discrepancy, season 4 has the viewership stats to back up a deserving spot atop the yearly chart.
- founded
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January 16, 2007
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Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph
